Water level control device



Feb. 25, 1969 G, Q Z|L|OTT0 3,429,334

WATER LEVEL CONTROL DEVICE Filed DeO. 6, 1966 United States Patent O3,429,334 WATER LEVEL CONTROL DEVICE Giovanni C. Ziliotto, 120 S.Broadway, Lake Orion, Mich. 48035 Filed Dec. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 599,602U.S. Cl. 137-386 Int. Cl. F16k 21/20 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREWhere it is necessary to accurately control the level of water in adevice to have it operate satisfactorily, diculty has always beenexperienced when the inflow is reduced and causes the level of the waterto drop. The device may be applied on any water-carrying member wherethe level is critical and the operation becomes defective when droppedbelow a predetermined point. For the purpose of clearly illustrating theadvantage of the device, it is shown in combination with an air cleanerwhich employs water in a manner to produce a film over the surface ofthe air passageway to entrain the particles from the air when the air isbrushed thereover. It will readily be understood that if the filmbecomes broken or too thin that the particles will not be efficientlyremoved from the air and will carry over with the exhaust air stream.

To prevent this from occurring, the device of the present inventionimmediately senses the lowering of the water and responsive to pressureor partial vacuum within the cleaning device a differential switch isoperated to complete a circuit for energizing a solenoid valve whichimmediately supplies water at a predetermined rate to quickly bring upthe level to the desirable point,

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to provide a deviceresponsive to the lowering of a water level for supplying water toreestablish the level; to provide a tube having one end connected to adifferential switch and the opposite end extending below the surface ofthe water which when uncovered by a drop in the water level permits thepressure of air or partial vacuum to operate the switch and providewater for reestablishing the level; to provide a device for operating adifferential switch which is ineffective when an open end extends belowthe level of the water, and in general, to provide a water level controldevice which is simple in construction, positive in operation andeconomical of manufacture.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will bespecifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for abetter understanding of the invention, to the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of an air cleaner with a water level controldevice thereon embodying features of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the level control deviceillustrated in FIGURE l, with an electric and fluid circuit shown inconnection therewith.

In FIGURE 1, an air cleaner is illustrated of the wet collector typewhich separates the particles from the air by centrifugal action as thewater wets and entraps the particles. The device embodies a base in thenature of a tank 5 having a pear shaped barrel 6 thereon containing astationary screw 7 forming a helical path of a plurality of revolutions.The exhaust end 8 is connected to an air suction device which draws inair at the opposite end of the screw through an opening in the duct 9.It is to be understood that in some instances it is desirable to forcethe air through the device to have the air in the device under pressurerather than suction. Water is contained within the base tank 5 and thelower part of the helical path where it is in contact with the movingair and is carried therewith around the wall -of the screw path. Thewater at the bottom and on the wall is swept by the air stream and thecentrifugal force created 4by the air moving in a curved path throws thedust particles in the air against the water which traps them.

Tank 5 may be continuously cleaned for removing the collected sludge bya water flow through drain 30 or this may be done periodically. A cover10 is provided on one end of the tank which is removable for cleaningwhen the device is out of operation. On the wall of the barrel 6 areservoir 11 is provided communieating with the tank 5 through anopening 12. An air tube 13 communicates the interior of the barrel 6with the interior of the reservoir 11 above the water level therein. A-noverflow pipe 14 extends upwardly from the bottom of the reservoir intowhich water above a desired level flows to drain.

To prevent any substantial drop in the level of the water, which mightoccur if too much water is used `for continuous cleaning, the device 16of the present invention is employed located in a housing 17 attached tothe top portion of the reservoir 11. The device ernbodies a tube 18having an exterior thread in contact with an internal thread of a collar19 by which the end 21 is adjusted relative to the water level height 23of the water. This level is normally maintained by the regulation of theintake water at a rate which will produce a small overflow from the topof the drain tube 14. The tube 18 has a tube 24 in extension thereofwhich is attached to a differential pressure switch 25 of conventionalform. The switch 25 is preferably of a type to which the tube 24 may beattached to either of two orifices, one when a suction is present withinthe spiral path 7, the other when a pressure is present therein,depending on whether the separator is operated as a vacuum or pressuretype.

When the end of the tube 18 is closed by the water, the pressure orpartial vacuum within the helical path 7 will be prevented fromoperating the switch 25. However, should the level drop so that thewater no longer closes the end of the tube 18, the pressure or partialvacuum within the spiral path, being the same as that within the housing17 in the presence of a tube 13 will be applied through the interior ofthe tubes 18 and 24 to the switch 25 to produce its actuation. Theswitch is energized from a source 26 and when actuated energizes thesolenoid 27 of a water supply valve 28 which rapidly returns the waterlevel to the height 23. This closes off the tube 1S which causes theswitch 25 to return to open position and deenergize the Solenoid Z7which closes the valve 28.

A circuit 29 to a lamp 31 gives visual indication of the operation ofthe valve 28. The device 16 provides assurance that the water levelheight 23 will always be maintained. If the normal ilow of Water isreduced or the level drops because too much is used for cleaning, thewater level will be maintained by the valve 28 preferably operating froma different source so that the failure of one source can have no effectupon the flow of water through the valve 28 from a second source.

What is claimed s:

1. In a device actuated rby a change in water level, tube means havingan open end, a support for the tube means for mounting the open endbelow a water level established by an overflow conduit, a differentialpressure switch connected to the other end of said tube means operatedby sub-atmospheric pressure when the water level drops below the openend of the tube means, and a solenoid valve operated when thedifferential pressure switch is actuated to reestablish the level of thewater which closes said open end of the tube means and opens thecontacts 0f said switch.

2. In a device as recited in claim 1, wherein the open end of the tubemeans is adjusted to be below the water level for interruptingcommunication of the 15 air at sub-atmospheric pressure with theinterior of the tube means which is established when the water leveldrops -below the open end to permit the direct contact of the air tooperate the dilerential pressure to closed contact position.

3. In a device as recited in claim 2, wherein a pressure of air isprovided above the water level which pressure is applied to thedifferential pressure switch when the water level drops to uncover theopen end of the tube means.

4. In a device as recited in claim 2, wherein the air above the waterlevel is at vacuum pressure which will be applied to the differentialpressure switch when the open end of the tube means is uncovered throughthe lowering of the water level.

5. In a device as recited in claim 2, wherein means are provided forindicating the actuation of the supply valve.

6. In a device as recited in claim 1, wherein the tube means isadustable to have the open end extend below the level of the water,whereby when the differential pressure switch is actuated to closedposition directly by the presence of air at sub-atmospheric pressure thesolenoid valve will supply water to reestablish the water level whichcloses the open end of the tube means and permits the switch to open andshut ol the flow of water.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,931,459 4/1960 Wiles et al137-386 X 3,344,804 10/1967 Lyman 137-453 X FOREIGN PATENTS 466,765 7/1950 Canada. 632,678 12/1961 Canada. 795,096 9/1956 Great Britain,

WILLIAM S. BURDEN, Primary Examiner.

